diff --git a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/oetest.py b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/oetest.py
index 9c84466..cf417db 100644
--- a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/oetest.py
+++ b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/oetest.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     import oeqa.sdkext
 except ImportError:
     pass
-from oeqa.utils.decorators import LogResults, gettag, getResults
+from oeqa.utils.decorators import LogResults, gettag
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("BitBake")
 
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@
 @LogResults
 class oeTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
-    pscmd = "ps"
     longMessage = True
 
     @classmethod
@@ -110,20 +109,6 @@
     def tearDown(self):
         # Uninstall packages in the DUT
         self.tc.install_uninstall_packages(self.id(), False)
-
-        res = getResults()
-        # If a test fails or there is an exception dump
-        # for QemuTarget only
-        if (type(self.target).__name__ == "QemuTarget" and
-                (self.id() in res.getErrorList() or
-                self.id() in  res.getFailList())):
-            self.tc.host_dumper.create_dir(self._testMethodName)
-            self.tc.host_dumper.dump_host()
-            self.target.target_dumper.dump_target(
-                    self.tc.host_dumper.dump_dir)
-            print ("%s dump data stored in %s" % (self._testMethodName,
-                     self.tc.host_dumper.dump_dir))
-
         self.tearDownLocal()
 
     # Method to be run after tearDown and implemented by child classes
@@ -398,11 +383,6 @@
     def _get_test_suites_required(self):
         return [t for t in self.d.getVar("TEST_SUITES").split() if t != "auto"]
 
-    def loadTests(self):
-        super(RuntimeTestContext, self).loadTests()
-        if oeTest.hasPackage("procps"):
-            oeRuntimeTest.pscmd = "ps -ef"
-
     def extract_packages(self):
         """
         Find packages that will be needed during runtime.
diff --git a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/runtime/cases/dnf.py b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/runtime/cases/dnf.py
index a8e23e5..410d456 100644
--- a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/runtime/cases/dnf.py
+++ b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/runtime/cases/dnf.py
@@ -75,48 +75,43 @@
     def test_dnf_makecache(self):
         self.dnf_with_repo('makecache')
 
-
-# Does not work when repo is specified on the command line
-#    @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_makecache'])
-#    def test_dnf_repolist(self):
-#        self.dnf_with_repo('repolist')
-
     @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_makecache'])
     def test_dnf_repoinfo(self):
         self.dnf_with_repo('repoinfo')
 
     @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_makecache'])
     def test_dnf_install(self):
-        output = self.dnf_with_repo('list run-postinsts-dev')
-        if 'Installed Packages' in output:
-            self.dnf_with_repo('remove -y run-postinsts-dev')
-        self.dnf_with_repo('install -y run-postinsts-dev')
+        self.dnf_with_repo('remove -y dnf-test-*')
+        self.dnf_with_repo('install -y dnf-test-dep')
 
     @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_install'])
     def test_dnf_install_dependency(self):
-        self.dnf_with_repo('remove -y run-postinsts')
-        self.dnf_with_repo('install -y run-postinsts-dev')
+        self.dnf_with_repo('remove -y dnf-test-*')
+        self.dnf_with_repo('install -y dnf-test-main')
+        output = self.dnf('list --installed dnf-test-*')
+        self.assertIn("dnf-test-main.", output)
+        self.assertIn("dnf-test-dep.", output)
 
     @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_install_dependency'])
     def test_dnf_install_from_disk(self):
-        self.dnf_with_repo('remove -y run-postinsts-dev')
-        self.dnf_with_repo('install -y --downloadonly run-postinsts-dev')
-        status, output = self.target.run('find /var/cache/dnf -name run-postinsts-dev*rpm', 1500)
+        self.dnf_with_repo('remove -y dnf-test-dep')
+        self.dnf_with_repo('install -y --downloadonly dnf-test-dep')
+        status, output = self.target.run('find /var/cache/dnf -name dnf-test-dep*rpm')
         self.assertEqual(status, 0, output)
         self.dnf_with_repo('install -y %s' % output)
 
     @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_install_from_disk'])
     def test_dnf_install_from_http(self):
-        output = subprocess.check_output('%s %s -name run-postinsts-dev*' % (bb.utils.which(os.getenv('PATH'), "find"),
+        output = subprocess.check_output('%s %s -name dnf-test-dep*' % (bb.utils.which(os.getenv('PATH'), "find"),
                                                                            os.path.join(self.tc.td['WORKDIR'], 'oe-testimage-repo')), shell=True).decode("utf-8")
         rpm_path = output.split("/")[-2] + "/" + output.split("/")[-1]
         url = 'http://%s:%s/%s' %(self.target.server_ip, self.repo_server.port, rpm_path)
-        self.dnf_with_repo('remove -y run-postinsts-dev')
+        self.dnf_with_repo('remove -y dnf-test-dep')
         self.dnf_with_repo('install -y %s' % url)
 
     @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_install'])
     def test_dnf_reinstall(self):
-        self.dnf_with_repo('reinstall -y run-postinsts-dev')
+        self.dnf_with_repo('reinstall -y dnf-test-main')
 
     @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_makecache'])
     @skipIfInDataVar('DISTRO_FEATURES', 'usrmerge', 'Test run when not enable usrmerge')
@@ -139,14 +134,14 @@
         self.target.run('cp -r /etc/dnf %s/etc' % rootpath, 1500)
         self.target.run('cp /bin/sh %s/bin' % rootpath, 1500)
         self.target.run('mount -o bind /dev %s/dev/' % rootpath, 1500)
-        self.dnf_with_repo('install --installroot=%s -v -y --rpmverbosity=debug busybox run-postinsts' % rootpath)
+        self.dnf_with_repo('install --installroot=%s -v -y --rpmverbosity=debug busybox' % rootpath)
         status, output = self.target.run('test -e %s/var/cache/dnf' % rootpath, 1500)
         self.assertEqual(0, status, output)
         status, output = self.target.run('test -e %s/bin/busybox' % rootpath, 1500)
         self.assertEqual(0, status, output)
 
     @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_makecache'])
-    @skipIfNotInDataVar('DISTRO_FEATURES', 'usrmerge', 'Test run when enable usrmege')
+    @skipIfNotInDataVar('DISTRO_FEATURES', 'usrmerge', 'Test run when enable usrmerge')
     @OEHasPackage('busybox')
     def test_dnf_installroot_usrmerge(self):
         rootpath = '/home/root/chroot/test'
@@ -171,7 +166,7 @@
         self.target.run('cp -r /etc/dnf %s/etc' % rootpath, 1500)
         self.target.run('cp /bin/sh %s/bin' % rootpath, 1500)
         self.target.run('mount -o bind /dev %s/dev/' % rootpath, 1500)
-        self.dnf_with_repo('install --installroot=%s -v -y --rpmverbosity=debug busybox run-postinsts' % rootpath)
+        self.dnf_with_repo('install --installroot=%s -v -y --rpmverbosity=debug busybox' % rootpath)
         status, output = self.target.run('test -e %s/var/cache/dnf' % rootpath, 1500)
         self.assertEqual(0, status, output)
         status, output = self.target.run('test -e %s/bin/busybox' % rootpath, 1500)
@@ -179,15 +174,8 @@
 
     @OETestDepends(['dnf.DnfRepoTest.test_dnf_makecache'])
     def test_dnf_exclude(self):
-        excludepkg = 'curl-dev'
-        self.dnf_with_repo('install -y curl*')
-        self.dnf('list %s' % excludepkg, 0)
-        #Avoid remove dependencies to skip some errors on different archs and images
-        self.dnf_with_repo('remove --setopt=clean_requirements_on_remove=0 -y curl*')
-        #check curl-dev is not installed adter removing all curl occurrences
-        status, output = self.target.run('dnf list --installed | grep %s'% excludepkg, 1500)
-        self.assertEqual(1, status, "%s was not removed,  is listed as installed"%excludepkg)
-        self.dnf_with_repo('install -y --exclude=%s --exclude=curl-staticdev curl*' % excludepkg)
-        #check curl-dev is not installed after being excluded
-        status, output = self.target.run('dnf list --installed | grep %s'% excludepkg , 1500)
-        self.assertEqual(1, status, "%s was not excluded, is listed as installed"%excludepkg)
+        self.dnf_with_repo('remove -y dnf-test-*')
+        self.dnf_with_repo('install -y --exclude=dnf-test-dep dnf-test-*')
+        output = self.dnf('list --installed dnf-test-*')
+        self.assertIn("dnf-test-main.", output)
+        self.assertNotIn("dnf-test-dev.", output)
diff --git a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/runtime/cases/parselogs.py b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/runtime/cases/parselogs.py
index e16c230..e67d375 100644
--- a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/runtime/cases/parselogs.py
+++ b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/runtime/cases/parselogs.py
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@
     "was skipped because of a failed condition check",
     "was skipped because all trigger condition checks failed",
     "xf86OpenConsole: Switching VT failed",
+    "Failed to read LoaderConfigTimeoutOneShot variable, ignoring: Operation not supported",
+    "Failed to read LoaderEntryOneShot variable, ignoring: Operation not supported",
     ]
 
 video_related = [
diff --git a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/bblayers.py b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/bblayers.py
index c6bd5a1..b048948 100644
--- a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/bblayers.py
+++ b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/bblayers.py
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@
 
 class BitbakeLayers(OESelftestTestCase):
 
-    def setUpLocal(self):
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        super(BitbakeLayers, cls).setUpClass()
         bitbake("python3-jsonschema-native")
         bitbake("-c addto_recipe_sysroot python3-jsonschema-native")
 
diff --git a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/debuginfod.py b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/debuginfod.py
index 01359ec..3c40119 100644
--- a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/debuginfod.py
+++ b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/debuginfod.py
@@ -10,16 +10,24 @@
 from oeqa.selftest.case import OESelftestTestCase
 from oeqa.utils.commands import bitbake, get_bb_var, runqemu
 
+
 class Debuginfod(OESelftestTestCase):
     def test_debuginfod(self):
-        self.write_config("""
+        self.write_config(
+            """
 DISTRO_FEATURES:append = " debuginfod"
 CORE_IMAGE_EXTRA_INSTALL += "elfutils"
-        """)
+        """
+        )
         bitbake("core-image-minimal elfutils-native:do_addto_recipe_sysroot")
 
         native_sysroot = get_bb_var("RECIPE_SYSROOT_NATIVE", "elfutils-native")
-        cmd = [os.path.join(native_sysroot, "usr", "bin", "debuginfod"), "--verbose", get_bb_var("DEPLOY_DIR")]
+        cmd = [
+            os.path.join(native_sysroot, "usr", "bin", "debuginfod"),
+            "--verbose",
+            "--database=:memory:",
+            get_bb_var("DEPLOY_DIR"),
+        ]
         for format in get_bb_var("PACKAGE_CLASSES").split():
             if format == "package_deb":
                 cmd.append("--scan-deb-dir")
@@ -36,7 +44,10 @@
             debuginfod = subprocess.Popen(cmd)
 
             with runqemu("core-image-minimal", runqemuparams="nographic") as qemu:
-                cmd = "DEBUGINFOD_URLS=http://%s:%d/ debuginfod-find debuginfo /usr/bin/debuginfod" % (qemu.server_ip, port)
+                cmd = (
+                    "DEBUGINFOD_URLS=http://%s:%d/ debuginfod-find debuginfo /usr/bin/debuginfod"
+                    % (qemu.server_ip, port)
+                )
                 status, output = qemu.run_serial(cmd)
                 # This should be more comprehensive
                 self.assertIn("/.cache/debuginfod_client/", output)
diff --git a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/overlayfs.py b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/overlayfs.py
index bff22f2..57a8c8b 100644
--- a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/overlayfs.py
+++ b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/overlayfs.py
@@ -333,24 +333,14 @@
         self.assertTrue("overlayfs-etc" in res.output, msg=res.output)
         self.assertTrue("package-management" in res.output, msg=res.output)
 
-    def test_image_feature_is_missing_class_included(self):
-        configAppend = """
-INHERIT += "overlayfs-etc"
-"""
-        self.run_check_image_feature(configAppend)
-
     def test_image_feature_is_missing(self):
-        self.run_check_image_feature()
-
-    def run_check_image_feature(self, appendToConfig=""):
         """
         Summary:   Overlayfs-etc class is not applied when image feature is not set
-                   even if we inherit it directly,
         Expected:  Image is created successfully but /etc is not an overlay
         Author:    Vyacheslav Yurkov <uvv.mail@gmail.com>
         """
 
-        config = f"""
+        config = """
 DISTRO_FEATURES:append = " systemd"
 
 # Use systemd as init manager
@@ -366,7 +356,6 @@
 # Image configuration for overlayfs-etc
 OVERLAYFS_ETC_MOUNT_POINT = "/data"
 OVERLAYFS_ETC_DEVICE = "/dev/sda3"
-{appendToConfig}
 """
 
         self.write_config(config)
@@ -392,7 +381,84 @@
         Author:    Vyacheslav Yurkov <uvv.mail@gmail.com>
         """
 
-        config = """
+        config = self.get_working_config()
+
+        args = {
+            'OVERLAYFS_INIT_OPTION': "" if origInit else "init=/sbin/preinit",
+            'OVERLAYFS_ETC_USE_ORIG_INIT_NAME': int(origInit == True)
+        }
+
+        self.write_config(config.format(**args))
+
+        bitbake('core-image-minimal')
+        testFile = "/etc/my-test-data"
+
+        with runqemu('core-image-minimal', image_fstype='wic', discard_writes=False) as qemu:
+            status, output = qemu.run_serial("/bin/mount")
+
+            line = getline_qemu(output, "/dev/sda3")
+            self.assertTrue("/data" in output, msg=output)
+
+            line = getline_qemu(output, "upperdir=/data/overlay-etc/upper")
+            self.assertTrue(line and line.startswith("/data/overlay-etc/upper on /etc type overlay"), msg=output)
+
+            # check that lower layer is not available
+            status, output = qemu.run_serial("ls -1 /data/overlay-etc/lower")
+            line = getline_qemu(output, "No such file or directory")
+            self.assertTrue(line, msg=output)
+
+            status, output = qemu.run_serial("touch " + testFile)
+            status, output = qemu.run_serial("sync")
+            status, output = qemu.run_serial("ls -1 " + testFile)
+            line = getline_qemu(output, testFile)
+            self.assertTrue(line and line.startswith(testFile), msg=output)
+
+        # Check that file exists in /etc after reboot
+        with runqemu('core-image-minimal', image_fstype='wic') as qemu:
+            status, output = qemu.run_serial("ls -1 " + testFile)
+            line = getline_qemu(output, testFile)
+            self.assertTrue(line and line.startswith(testFile), msg=output)
+
+    def test_lower_layer_access(self):
+        """
+        Summary:   Test that lower layer of /etc is available read-only when configured
+        Expected:  Can't write to lower layer. The files on lower and upper different after
+                   modification
+        Author:    Vyacheslav Yurkov <uvv.mail@gmail.com>
+        """
+
+        config = self.get_working_config()
+
+        configLower = """
+OVERLAYFS_ETC_EXPOSE_LOWER = "1"
+IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " overlayfs-user"
+"""
+        testFile = "lower-layer-test.txt"
+
+        args = {
+            'OVERLAYFS_INIT_OPTION': "",
+            'OVERLAYFS_ETC_USE_ORIG_INIT_NAME': 1
+        }
+
+        self.write_config(config.format(**args))
+
+        self.append_config(configLower)
+        bitbake('core-image-minimal')
+
+        with runqemu('core-image-minimal', image_fstype='wic') as qemu:
+            status, output = qemu.run_serial("echo \"Modified in upper\" > /etc/" + testFile)
+            status, output = qemu.run_serial("diff /etc/" + testFile + " /data/overlay-etc/lower/" + testFile)
+            line = getline_qemu(output, "Modified in upper")
+            self.assertTrue(line, msg=output)
+            line = getline_qemu(output, "Original file")
+            self.assertTrue(line, msg=output)
+
+            status, output = qemu.run_serial("touch /data/overlay-etc/lower/ro-test.txt")
+            line = getline_qemu(output, "Read-only file system")
+            self.assertTrue(line, msg=output)
+
+    def get_working_config(self):
+        return """
 DISTRO_FEATURES:append = " systemd"
 
 # Use systemd as init manager
@@ -414,34 +480,3 @@
 OVERLAYFS_ETC_DEVICE = "/dev/sda3"
 OVERLAYFS_ETC_USE_ORIG_INIT_NAME = "{OVERLAYFS_ETC_USE_ORIG_INIT_NAME}"
 """
-
-        args = {
-            'OVERLAYFS_INIT_OPTION': "" if origInit else "init=/sbin/preinit",
-            'OVERLAYFS_ETC_USE_ORIG_INIT_NAME': int(origInit == True)
-        }
-
-        self.write_config(config.format(**args))
-
-        bitbake('core-image-minimal')
-        testFile = "/etc/my-test-data"
-
-        with runqemu('core-image-minimal', image_fstype='wic', discard_writes=False) as qemu:
-            status, output = qemu.run_serial("/bin/mount")
-
-            line = getline_qemu(output, "/dev/sda3")
-            self.assertTrue("/data" in output, msg=output)
-
-            line = getline_qemu(output, "upperdir=/data/overlay-etc/upper")
-            self.assertTrue(line and line.startswith("/data/overlay-etc/upper on /etc type overlay"), msg=output)
-
-            status, output = qemu.run_serial("touch " + testFile)
-            status, output = qemu.run_serial("sync")
-            status, output = qemu.run_serial("ls -1 " + testFile)
-            line = getline_qemu(output, testFile)
-            self.assertTrue(line and line.startswith(testFile), msg=output)
-
-        # Check that file exists in /etc after reboot
-        with runqemu('core-image-minimal', image_fstype='wic') as qemu:
-            status, output = qemu.run_serial("ls -1 " + testFile)
-            line = getline_qemu(output, testFile)
-            self.assertTrue(line and line.startswith(testFile), msg=output)
diff --git a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/decorators.py b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/decorators.py
index aabf411..ea90164 100644
--- a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/decorators.py
+++ b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/decorators.py
@@ -16,91 +16,6 @@
 import signal
 from functools import wraps
 
-#get the "result" object from one of the upper frames provided that one of these upper frames is a unittest.case frame
-class getResults(object):
-    def __init__(self):
-        #dynamically determine the unittest.case frame and use it to get the name of the test method
-        ident = threading.current_thread().ident
-        upperf = sys._current_frames()[ident]
-        while (upperf.f_globals['__name__'] != 'unittest.case'):
-            upperf = upperf.f_back
-
-        def handleList(items):
-            ret = []
-            # items is a list of tuples, (test, failure) or (_ErrorHandler(), Exception())
-            for i in items:
-                s = i[0].id()
-                #Handle the _ErrorHolder objects from skipModule failures
-                if "setUpModule (" in s:
-                    ret.append(s.replace("setUpModule (", "").replace(")",""))
-                else:
-                    ret.append(s)
-                # Append also the test without the full path
-                testname = s.split('.')[-1]
-                if testname:
-                    ret.append(testname)
-            return ret
-        self.faillist = handleList(upperf.f_locals['result'].failures)
-        self.errorlist = handleList(upperf.f_locals['result'].errors)
-        self.skiplist = handleList(upperf.f_locals['result'].skipped)
-
-    def getFailList(self):
-        return self.faillist
-
-    def getErrorList(self):
-        return self.errorlist
-
-    def getSkipList(self):
-        return self.skiplist
-
-class skipIfFailure(object):
-
-    def __init__(self,testcase):
-        self.testcase = testcase
-
-    def __call__(self,f):
-        @wraps(f)
-        def wrapped_f(*args, **kwargs):
-            res = getResults()
-            if self.testcase in (res.getFailList() or res.getErrorList()):
-                raise unittest.SkipTest("Testcase dependency not met: %s" % self.testcase)
-            return f(*args, **kwargs)
-        wrapped_f.__name__ = f.__name__
-        return wrapped_f
-
-class skipIfSkipped(object):
-
-    def __init__(self,testcase):
-        self.testcase = testcase
-
-    def __call__(self,f):
-        @wraps(f)
-        def wrapped_f(*args, **kwargs):
-            res = getResults()
-            if self.testcase in res.getSkipList():
-                raise unittest.SkipTest("Testcase dependency not met: %s" % self.testcase)
-            return f(*args, **kwargs)
-        wrapped_f.__name__ = f.__name__
-        return wrapped_f
-
-class skipUnlessPassed(object):
-
-    def __init__(self,testcase):
-        self.testcase = testcase
-
-    def __call__(self,f):
-        @wraps(f)
-        def wrapped_f(*args, **kwargs):
-            res = getResults()
-            if self.testcase in res.getSkipList() or \
-                    self.testcase in res.getFailList() or \
-                    self.testcase in res.getErrorList():
-                raise unittest.SkipTest("Testcase dependency not met: %s" % self.testcase)
-            return f(*args, **kwargs)
-        wrapped_f.__name__ = f.__name__
-        wrapped_f._depends_on = self.testcase
-        return wrapped_f
-
 class testcase(object):
     def __init__(self, test_case):
         self.test_case = test_case
diff --git a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/qemurunner.py b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/qemurunner.py
index 4c3d201..6a85f57 100644
--- a/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/qemurunner.py
+++ b/poky/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/qemurunner.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
         accepted_patterns = ['search_reached_prompt', 'send_login_user', 'search_login_succeeded', 'search_cmd_finished']
         default_boot_patterns = defaultdict(str)
         # Default to the usual paterns used to communicate with the target
-        default_boot_patterns['search_reached_prompt'] = b' login:'
+        default_boot_patterns['search_reached_prompt'] = ' login:'
         default_boot_patterns['send_login_user'] = 'root\n'
         default_boot_patterns['search_login_succeeded'] = r"root@[a-zA-Z0-9\-]+:~#"
         default_boot_patterns['search_cmd_finished'] = r"[a-zA-Z0-9]+@[a-zA-Z0-9\-]+:~#"
@@ -109,12 +109,15 @@
             sock.close()
             raise
 
+    def decode_qemulog(self, todecode):
+        # Sanitize the data received from qemu as it may contain control characters
+        msg = todecode.decode("utf-8", errors='ignore')
+        msg = re_control_char.sub('', msg)
+        return msg
+
     def log(self, msg):
         if self.logfile:
-            # It is needed to sanitize the data received from qemu
-            # because is possible to have control characters
-            msg = msg.decode("utf-8", errors='ignore')
-            msg = re_control_char.sub('', msg)
+            msg = self.decode_qemulog(msg)
             self.msg += msg
             with codecs.open(self.logfile, "a", encoding="utf-8") as f:
                 f.write("%s" % msg)
@@ -188,8 +191,8 @@
         importlib.invalidate_caches()
         try:
             qmp = importlib.import_module("qmp")
-        except:
-            self.logger.error("qemurunner: qmp.py missing, please ensure it's installed")
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.logger.error("qemurunner: qmp.py missing, please ensure it's installed (%s)" % str(e))
             return False
         # Path relative to tmpdir used as cwd for qemu below to avoid unix socket path length issues
         qmp_file = "." + next(tempfile._get_candidate_names())
@@ -325,7 +328,8 @@
         try:
             os.chdir(os.path.dirname(qmp_port))
             try:
-               self.qmp = qmp.QEMUMonitorProtocol(os.path.basename(qmp_port))
+               from qmp.legacy import QEMUMonitorProtocol
+               self.qmp = QEMUMonitorProtocol(os.path.basename(qmp_port))
             except OSError as msg:
                 self.logger.warning("Failed to initialize qemu monitor socket: %s File: %s" % (msg, msg.filename))
                 return False
@@ -467,13 +471,15 @@
                             self.log(data)
 
                         data = b''
-                        if self.boot_patterns['search_reached_prompt'] in bootlog:
+
+                        decodedlog = self.decode_qemulog(bootlog)
+                        if self.boot_patterns['search_reached_prompt'] in decodedlog:
                             self.server_socket = qemusock
                             stopread = True
                             reachedlogin = True
-                            self.logger.debug("Reached login banner in %s seconds (%s)" %
+                            self.logger.debug("Reached login banner in %s seconds (%s, %s)" %
                                               (time.time() - (endtime - self.boottime),
-                                              time.strftime("%D %H:%M:%S")))
+                                              time.strftime("%D %H:%M:%S"), time.time()))
                     else:
                         # no need to check if reachedlogin unless we support multiple connections
                         self.logger.debug("QEMU socket disconnected before login banner reached. (%s)" %
@@ -487,10 +493,10 @@
                 self.logger.warning("Target didn't reach login banner in %d seconds (%s)" %
                                   (self.boottime, time.strftime("%D %H:%M:%S")))
             tail = lambda l: "\n".join(l.splitlines()[-25:])
-            bootlog = bootlog.decode("utf-8")
+            bootlog = self.decode_qemulog(bootlog)
             # in case bootlog is empty, use tail qemu log store at self.msg
             lines = tail(bootlog if bootlog else self.msg)
-            self.logger.warning("Last 25 lines of text:\n%s" % lines)
+            self.logger.warning("Last 25 lines of text (%d):\n%s" % (len(bootlog), lines))
             self.logger.warning("Check full boot log: %s" % self.logfile)
             self._dump_host()
             self.stop()